The Daily Blog Open Mic – Thursday 28th July 2016

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openmike

 

Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.

Moderation rules are more lenient for this section, but try and play nicely.

 

6 COMMENTS

  1. The Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearing Panel (IHP) has released its recommendations on the Unitary Plan, which are more disappointing rather than encouraging, when we look at the small print in the many documents available here:
    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/planspoliciesprojects/plansstrategies/unitaryplan/Pages/ihpreportsrecommendations.aspx

    It may please Generation Zero supporters, Housing NZ Corporation, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Fletcher Challenge, Fletcher Residential, Ockham Holdings and other developers and business operators, and even Council’s planners, but it reads horribly for those that are concerned about their communities, their heritage and their environment that is now under serious threat.

    Some so-called “nimbies” got up in arms about proposed out of scope zoning in February this year, but what the IHP has now released, that will send shock-waves through those who expected a more balanced Unitary Plan.

    Endless rules and development controls, and also overlays have been scrapped now, developers are given almost a free license to design and build as they like, and only minimum standards and requirements are left.

    I wonder really now, how “independent” the Panel really was, it raises serious questions. It appears at least one major community groups is already considering legal action.

    We have no minimum dwelling sizes now, which even Council wanted to have. Almost anything goes again, based on the insufficient provisions in the old Building Act and Code from the 1940s. That led already to the pigeon hole apartments we have ample from in the CBD.

    There is no requirement for a minimum dwelling mix of units in larger developments, there are no real limits on internal heights or dimensions, on garage doors, windows, ceiling heights, there is no requirement to provide for storage space, unbelievably even NO provision for ensuring affordable homes get built. They actually threw out retained affordable housing provisions that Council had notified!

    The proposed, recommended new Plan that is now before the Council to vote on, will give any developer reasons for huge excitement. It is a dream come true for them, for investors, builders and also speculators. There are minimum rules, requirements, standards, and they can build more or less what they like, to get the desired profits they seek.

    I ask, how the hell did the Panel come to this result, to make such recommendations. Most in the media and so do not seem to get their heads around the complex recommendations, the nitty gritty of things. We get no discussion, nothing by qualified, well informed persons, and rather opinionated and biased comments.

    Councillors are facing an extremely difficult task now to decide on the recommendations and to vote on them. They will in some suburbs and areas face a residents revolt, I fear, and protests from those who want to keep historic and other heritage areas protected. Environmentalists should be concerned also, as growth now comes before sustainability. All that pressure coming from the hosing market failure, unconstrained immigration, and speculation, and the perceived need for urgent action, seems to have led the IHP to believe, they must go this far.

    So short before the local body election, it could not have been a more controversial and explosive topic delivered to the Council to decide on.

    As it is, the anticipated new dwellings over 400,000 will not be delivered. We do not have the manpower and materials to get it done in such a short time. It will lead to John Key and his government getting Chinese or other overseas corporations and building staff into New Zealand, and build endless apartment and kitset townhouses, some of which may well be the slums of tomorrow.

    Nothing ever changes in New Zealand, certainly not in Auckland. Over years repeated governments fail, neglect, or drag their feet, then the situation reaches “crisis” limits, and suddenly all hurry to make rushed, panic decisions, to then create even greater issues for the future generations to deal with. I despair.

    The main “criminals” responsible for it all do not so much sit in Auckland, they sit in Wellington.

    • “Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment” is SS Joyce’s battle bunker for public propaganda and then using this mega agency by beating all local Council’s, and threatening them with over-reaching actions by purposefully conducting phoney “cherry picked” studies showing, “their plan is viably the best”

      So they employ their exclusive group like Fletcher Challenge, Fletcher Residential, Ockham Holdings and other developers and business operators all for filling their pockets with public back housing policies they fashion in this way.

    • “it reads horribly for those that are concerned about their communities, their heritage and their environment that is now under serious threat.”

      ….agreed…the trashing of NZ is beginning in Auckland…and jonkey nact is responsible

      • Yes indeed!

        That “independent panel” that was appointed by the Minister of the Environment to hear submissions and evidence on the Unitary Plan, was made up of persons, who already made comments during the hearings, that betrayed what loyalties they had.

        I am not saying more than that here, for legal reasons, but I am sure you get what I mean.

        Some submitters now feel they were “conned”.

  2. Auckland will be another slum in 30 yr’s after they build these chicken coup’s for high density housing as we in Napier/Hastings saw it in Flaxmere and Maraenui so get ready Auckland it’s your turn next.

    Labour did it right with a home and quarter acre to grow children’s safe “back yards” but this wont’ happen any more unless labour get back in Government.

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